


To You in Ten Years

by 17stepsdown



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adopted Children, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Embedded Images, Established Levi/Erwin Smith, Established Relationship, Fluff and Angst, Kid Fic, M/M, Might need a Beta, Minor Canonical Character(s), No Beta currently, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parenthood, Paternal!Levi, Post-Canon, Work In Progress
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-10-02 13:26:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17264999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/17stepsdown/pseuds/17stepsdown
Summary: Levi never wanted to be a father.It was a bad decision; taking care of those three. He knew it, Erwin knew it, everybody knew it, and sure as all hell, he heard the same thing from every single person he'd met; but damn it, he was never going to give them up. Let the sky fall, let the walls collapse, let the Titans come in, it didn't fucking matter. They were precious. Wall Maria may be gone but Levi's conscience isn't. He may have been a failure of a human being but he was not inhuman enough to let these kids suffer.Tags will update with chapters





	1. His Name is Levi

**Author's Note:**

> (This is a fanfic that I'm doing for fun so it'll probably have an irregular update schedule.)  
> I've never written for the Attack on Titan fandom before so I'm sorry about any inaccuracies. I'll be actively editing and replacing chapters as I go along until I'm satisfied with this fanfic so heads up for that.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The year is 845

That man was back.

“Here."

Armin observed his friends as they were tossed loaves of bread. It wasn't long before the stranger got to the blond shortly, cornering him against the layered brick wall and producing another edible from his forest green cloak. Carefully, Armin received the bread without resistance, fingers prickling with radiated warmth as steam wafted off of the golden crust in wisps. For a moment, Armin's cheeks reddened at the heat. Food stocks were beginning to shrink at the shelter. Armin could tell. Nobody ever suspected him but the blond recognized when the portions handed out were getting smaller. If anybody asked, they denied there was any visible change. Vegetable soup had long disappeared from the stalls.

He mumbled a meek “thank you” and glanced up when the man stood and offered one last loaf to his idling grandfather. Immediately, his grandfather held up a hand and denied the unnamed soldier. “Don't worry about me, give it to one of the other kids. Only heaven knows, they need it more than I do.”

If Armin thought the stranger's brows were harsh looking, they only got harsher. “Don't be stupid, take it.” The man's tone was gruff and commanding. Armin flinched at his tone.

“Really, I'm doing fine,” Armin heard his grandfather insist. Had Armin had the guts, he would've forced himself between them, snatched the bread, and apologized to the generous soldier for his grandfather's behaviour. But that man held a withering stare that could deaden crops. Armin squeezed the loaf closer to his chest, watching the exchange unfold. At the back of his mind, he berated himself for not acting on his thoughts but another part of him told him it was okay. This was okay.

At the reply, the stranger lowered the bread and regarded his grandfather for a good moment. His grandfather returned the look from the floor, hands not moving. The stranger scoffed and hid the loaf in his cloak once more. “Have it your way.”

The stranger spun on his heel and made a rushed pace for the exit of the shelter. His escape hadn't gone unnoticed, several eyes stuck to his back from the crevices and dredges of the warehouse. Soon enough, he disappeared. Sometimes Armin wondered where the man went.

 

It'd been only a couple of days since the sudden tragedy that befell the city of Shiganshina. It was not a story unknown to the public. 'Panic, the titans of history had breached the walls and laid waste to the outer ring' or something like that. Armin read the headline off of a scrap newspaper article he had found beneath a supply wagon. Articles like these ones had become unsurprisingly popular within the last two days. It made plenty of sense. Though the statistics hadn't been released yet, the estimated casualty rate was projected to be as high as quarter of humanity's population. Armin read the words with bated breath. Beneath the lamplight, it was hard to make sense of the wrinkled text but none of the other refugees had been interested. Of course not. They knew the story better than any newspaper could inform.

Eren also failed to express any interest. Armin didn't scorn him for it. The formally bright-eyed, heretic child had initially spent the first twenty-four hours in Wall Rose screaming and kicking to vent but soon shrunk into a despaired silence. Mikasa hadn't been much better. Though she had always been rather silent, something about her was different now. Tight-lipped and seemingly charged with bottled up guilt, Mikasa glared at any soldier that would walk by. She clung to Eren even more if that was even possible. Armin had heard they'd lost Eren's mother to the titans. Details remained untouched.

Life would certainly be much, much harder from now on. With humanity on the brink and all sense of societal order crumbling, Armin found his stomach grumbling when he sighted _any_ form of food.

Even worse that his mind occasionally rationalized stealing it.

But then that man came.

Into the first few days safe behind the walls, somebody started to visit them. A rather short fellow, dressed in the standard knee-high leather boots and white pants that identified him as part of the military. At first, the three children and Armin's grandfather didn't take note of him at all. It wasn't unusual to see the armed soldiers idling around the refugee camps. Due to the recent devastation of the outer ring, military vigilance had cropped up around the southern regions in droves. Garrison forces were now concentrated on manning the walls and keeping watch for the famed Colossal Titan that ravaged the Southern Maria Gate. Their forces regularly sent pickets to patrol day and night, scaling up and down the exterior to catch any imperfections. Oddly enough, Military Police were but a rare few in a crowd. Armin felt that he'd witnessed more MP's hanging around even before the breach.

But that man was different. Maybe it was something with his face. Dark hair hung over ringed narrow eyes that made a shiver run up Armin's spine. The only other identifying characteristic had to have been the white cravat that hung around his neck. When the odd soldier approached them, Armin's grandfather genuinely believed that a nobleman had caught them in his sights. Not that the soldier was exactly blue blood material in any other aspect, but the kids were relieved enough when the soldier didn't appear to take any offence or amusement from pointing out his mistake.

The first visit had been rather dry. The soldier didn't don any uniform jacket so they couldn't tell what branch he was from, but Eren claimed to recall his face from the Scout Regiment, and just yesterday too as they would soon find out. The soldier didn't drop a name but he did ask how the children were doing. He knelt by their spot next to the horse stalls and asked them non-intrusive questions about their health and well-being, sneaking in the occasional scolding remark when Eren revealed that he had a tiny bruise on his cheek from when Mikasa punched him that one time. Once he was reassured that other than their empty stomachs, the four were physically okay, the man left and declared he would be back later.

Subsequent visits began in the days to follow.

Frequent and fairly non-consistent arrivals happened once each day. Since Armin and his friends didn't really leave the shelters beyond rising to the meal bell, he wasn't surprised at least to see that the soldier found them easily. Always at the third shelter, by the second stall to the back furthest from the exit; another warehouse entrance which had been barred closed by the authorities to reassure accountability of the Maria refugees. Armin kept silent whenever the cravat-wearing soldier came by with conspicuous edibles (usually bread). Armin mumbled the occasional 'thank you' and monitored the man's every move, as if to decipher what exactly he even came for. There was nothing any of them could really offer in return. The four of them had lost everything. For Eren, it'd been his mother, for Mikasa, it had been the promise of normality, and for Armin, he'd lost his beloved home. They had no valuables, other than the key that Eren kept bound to a necklace beneath the collar of his shirt. But Armin knew Eren wouldn't trade it over no matter what. It was the Doctor Yeager's apparently. The blond wasn't sure whether or not to count themselves lucky that the stranger hadn't asked anything of them yet. Nothing came for free. Nothing came for cheap. Armin figured that was what the Garrison soldiers thought whenever their lot glowered at them.

 

“This bread is good,” Mikasa swallowed and held up the item to view as Armin looked at her with mild curiosity. The girl's eyes pondered the bread in her hand.“It's sweet, it has to be the expensive kind.”

The three sat knelt by the brick wall, only able to see each other by the grace of a single torch that flickered distantly above their heads. Only a silhouette indicated that Armin's grandpa was sleeping nearby, covered in the textile-factory stink that were handed out. It smelled less now, but Armin's friends never got used it and preferred to use the throwaway burlap sacks as substitutes. Personally, Armin didn't mind the smell. Many of his parent's inventions smelled similar so his nose didn't wrinkle at them. Armin stared at what remained of the stranger's gift in one hand, half a portion which the boy planned to stash away for a later date. They couldn't count on the soldier to return every day. Armin eyed the piece with interest. “Yeah, I think so too. It's really tasty, I think its the first time I've ever eaten anything like this.”

Mikasa nodded and the two sat in an uncomfortable silence as the gears churned in their heads. The light flickered and Armin managed to force a few words to his lips. “Do you think..,” He trailed off to gauge Mikasa's expression. Her face hadn't changed save for the minuscule glint in her eye.

“You might be right,” Mikasa ate the last piece and gulped it down before continuing. “It's better than the stale stuff they give us. I wouldn't be surprised if that man is trying to get close before he does something.”

“You really think so!?” Armin was suddenly on his knees, ready to bounce at any plans they'd scrap together, but his face wasn't playful at all. A bead of cold sweat trickled down his temple, mouth set in a shaky thin line. “What do we do? Do we run away? Do we try and hide?” The boy whispered.

Mikasa looked Armin in the eye and mimicked his tone. “Is that even possible?” She saw Armin shrink at her response. The darkness loomed around them. “There are MP's standing around all over the place. They'd never let us out. Even if we succeeded, we'd have to keep running for the rest of our lives. We could hide, but when each day? For how long?”

The two children sat in silence for a bit longer as the reality settled with them. The fact that the walls that had always stood were brittle was a hard enough truth to swallow. Now, they were trapped here as well. They really were no better than live-mutton. Armin's eyes traced the rocky crevices in the floor, body slackening. “I see.”

Armin readjusted on his spot and drew a factory-stink quilt over his own shoulders. It was a lame attempt at soothing the tightness in his chest. “What do you think he wants from us?”

“I don't know,” Mikasa answered simply.

“Hopefully it's not anything bad right?” Armin suggested meekly, but the way it came out sounded more like a confused plea. Tomorrow, they would likely meet the man once again. Perhaps in the morning, perhaps in the afternoon. Sometimes, he came around dark right before the sun settled with edibles a plenty, that of which Armin had never seen be handed out to anybody else but their lot. Armin felt around his abdomen. “I don't think there's anything in the food. I've been feeling pretty normal so far.”

“Me too,” Mikasa agreed.

Armin nodded back at her. “Maybe-”

“Maybe we should just shut up and let him help us.”

Both children cast their gazes over to the edge of the torchlight's reach. Eren sat where the pitch black began to creep, kicking pine cones aimlessly into the darkness ahead. From here, Armin could just barely define the scarily focused look in his best friend's eye. His tone had been sharp. Eren was never eager to entertain long, winding discussions. “That guy hasn't done anything terrible to us. All he's done is visit and give us what we needed, why are we suspecting him of anything?” The boy turned around with thin lips.

“Eren, we're not saying he's a bad person or anything but,” Armin paused to see Eren scowl at his suggestion, “We're just not sure if we can trust him. People don't usually just give away precious food for free.”

“So what?” Eren spat. “Maybe he's just a nice person!”

“The adults are saying food is getting scarce,” Mikasa commented. “He may not be asking us to pay a price yet but he might in the future, and if we keep accepting his handouts, who knows how big the price will be.”

Armin nodded. “I agree with Mikasa.”

“Well you guys sure sound like you're making him out to be a bad guy,” Eren pushed himself off the floor and moved to where the other two sat, plopping down beneath the torchlight.

The distant thrum and buckle of horses sounded from the outside. The evening patrol would be out tonight. Keeping watch over the walls and making sure that no refugees could escape under the cover of the stars. The trio waited for the horses to pass, counting to a minute together before they continued.

“Well, what if I told you we know him.”

The looming head of an owl peeked out from an wooden beam over their heads. It's glassy spherical eyes observing as the girl and the blond boy leaned in with a hushed gasp. Armin held his breath, clear skepticism written over his expression. “We do?”

“Yeah, don't you remember?” Eren glanced at both of his friend's faces before he began to recall. “Back when we first got here, remember when I kicked one of those Garrison guys by the food stalls?”

A moment passed as the boy waited for the other two to get on the same page. It was an incident that occurred on their very first day of their arrival. Droves of Maria citizens flooded the Trost district gates overnight, easily overwhelming the efforts of the local forces at the time. By morning, it'd been apparent that food would be limited. While walking around the encampment, Eren had impulsively kicked a Garrison soldier for talking behind their backs. The kick was returned, and twice as hard. Even if there were three of them, they clearly weren't in any position to oppose the adult.

Mikasa seemed to recall this and nodded. “That was a really stupid thing to do.”

“Mikasa!”

A hand gripped his shoulder, prompting Eren to look Armin straight in the eye. “Eren, what about that incident? Why do we know him? Keep going.” The blond withdrew his hand and allowed his friend a moment to recollect himself.

“Do you guys remember what happened after that? Who rescued us?” The image of a man's face in the crowd floated to the top of his head. A short man with dark eyes and dark hair approached and without warning, stomped the offending Garrison soldier so hard in the ankle, the sickening crack made them think the newcomer had broken it. “I recognized his face. I thought it was kind of creepy since I couldn't get it out of my head, because I swear I've seen it before.” Mouth set in a permanent frown and an look that said that stranger had seen things they couldn't even have nightmares about. Eren remembered it vividly. “But when he started to visit us, I got a better look and I realized where I recognized it from.”

Armin gulped.

“Decorated with a record of over fifty confirmed kills,” Eren's voice grew recited, as if he were reading his claims out of a textbook. His pupils began to dilate and Armin swore he almost sounded excited. “Levi Ackerman, he's part of the Scouting Legion. Humanity's Strongest Soldier.”

 


	2. DOA

**844**

 

**Titan Country**

Hooves thundered. A scattered group of Scouts hung loosely together, drenched and bracing against the forward gust of rain slapping their faces. Injured and able, young and old, they dug their heels into the sides of their horses and pushed on, ears peeled, eyes stinging. There would be no rest just yet. Not now, not for a while. Among even the seniors stationed around the edges of the teardrop formation, their lives hung in the balance.

 _If we don't encounter any Titans, it'll be the weather that will pick us off slowly._ Erwin swallowed hard and threw his gaze up at the cloudy blanket beyond the trees. He intended to shift his grip on his reins, but found himself stumbling to catch the slippery leather. _Oh no-_ For a moment, his stomach lurched at the thought of being thrown off of his horse but luckily, the animal hadn't reacted to the fumble. Erwin sucked in a breath and collected himself, lips set. The rain stung his eyes like crazy but the man refused to blink. Placed near the center of the formation, Erwin would normally be surrounded by soldiers like himself, but his squad hadn't been so fortunate. Faint screams and whinnying horses rose like ghosts in the air. It seems that the slippery floor of the forest had already claimed it first few victims. Erwin noted the disappearance of a few faces from the nearby squads but didn't dare look back.

Instead, Erwin glanced to the left of his horse, noting that Hange and Moses were thankfully still present. Hange prompted her horse to speed up, shifting position to fill the gap forming between their units. Erwin allowed himself some relief. It wasn't an unusual occurrence to ride with one's squad the first second, and be riding alone the next. He'd heard about such situations from others, and as experienced as he was, he hoped sincerely it wouldn't happen to him. Erwin made a check to his right, only to be faced with the passing of humongous trees and a deep distant pitch black between them. No titans yet, not nearby. Erwin forced the idea that there were no Titans here at all to the back of his mind. They were there. They always were, he just couldn't see them yet.

“All hands, prepare for battle!”

The piercing voice of the 12th commander sliced through the rain and forced their attentions to the front. Erwin hastily scanned the trees beyond, just barely able to piece out the hulking form of a head and shoulders from the fog of water droplets.

“There is only one target!” Commander Shadis barked. His order was followed by a choir of screeching metal, swords being drawn and the hiss of gas tanks. The commander didn't allow himself to be drowned out by his own regiment. “Stop it by any means! The gate is mankind's first stronghold against the walls!”

“Target approaching!” Erwin shouted.

A large titan emerged, and it was immediately evaluated by each squad leader remaining. Fifteen-meter class, abnormal, identifiable by its gigantic beer belly and slow gait. No doubt, this was the one they were looking for. With the expedition aimed at reforging a Scout Regiment stronghold beyond the walls after the last one fell, the appearance of an abnormal had been nothing short of a disaster. As per protocol with abnormal titans, they couldn't be ignored. Their unpredictable behaviour was a downright dangerous quality, and Erwin swore he'd been seeing more and more of them lately. Not a good sign.

Already, they were compromised in numbers with the more recent titan encounters. Fifty soldiers, maybe even less. Erwin couldn't tell and he wasn't about to count. For now, there was little he could do but listen to the Commander shriek out the order to split. Five groups. Erwin guided his horse to skirt around the trunk of a massive tree blocking their path, guiding what remained of his squad, a measly three soldiers not including himself. At the corner of his eye, he spotted Hange follow the commander. The entire right wing of their formation had been wiped out with only a few stragglers and there was no time to come up with a new formation to accommodate their depressingly small numbers. Like this, Erwin would be placing his squad in a vulnerable position, surrounding squads riding on one or two soldiers at most.

Luckily, they ran into their target early. There would be no need to remain bound to the floor of the forest. Erwin heard the Commander speak and immediately relayed the message to the soldiers at his tail. “The commander's squad will act as decoy! We've been ordered to carry out the attack!”

Moses grit his teeth, followed by two other hooded soldiers in the back. Erwin focused on Moses for a moment, expression steely. “Moses, are you sure you want to carry out the first strike?”

As it seemed, his inquiry was not welcomed. Instead, Moses glared sharply at his captain and made a confused noise. “What are you getting at? Of course I am!”

Their horses sprinted over a complex net of roots and mushrooms. The brash snorts from the animals creating clouds of mist in the frigid air. Erwin kept track of the titan, observing as the other squads made the switch to their ODM gear. Erwin threw a look back at his soldier. “I know this abnormal may have killed many of our comrades but don't be overwhelmed by anger. If you're incapable of staying focused on the objective, I can swap you out.”

Moses scoffed, unaffected by the man's calm and collected tone. He peered over his shoulder to look at a hooded soldier trailing behind them on a small black horse, then returned to Erwin. “No way, I want to do this. For Erhard and Julius.” Moses's tone grew shrill and growled, gripping the wet sword handle of his gear. “That monster swallowed them whole. I could _hear_ their screams in its _stomach_!”

Erwin watched Moses for a moment, then simply turned towards the front of his horse. He dropped the slippery reins and shouted at the top of his lungs. “ _Switch to omni-direction gear_!”

In a mess of wires and cables, the soldiers launched off of their horses, slicing through the wind and riding high, coming down again to just barely drag their muddy boots against the forest floor. Erwin lead the charge, joining the formation circling the titan in the tree tops like a swarm ensnaring their prey. The captain quickly adjusted the sliders of his gear and tugged at the cables, rocketing the wires far ahead to break away from the squad.

Either self-appointed or not, five soldiers lined up around the inner ring, risking contact with the abnormal. In a sense, the plan had already failed, as the commander's squad zig-zagged in the monster's path but didn't gain its attention. Regardless, the formation continued as planned. Four strikers instead of five, each lining up against a tree and surrounding the titan. Moses landed against a tree and didn't bother to wait for the commander's order to begin the attack. The wind on his back and the rain in his ears, it didn't matter. Before him, a monster stood. Moses couldn't help but imagine the decomposing bodies of his former squad mates sloshing around in the titan's beer belly. Their faces were probably frozen in agony, throats blown out. Moses bounded into the air, whirling fiercely with his blades drawn and eyes wide with fury, ready to strike at the creature's nape.

“ _We'll show you the strength of humanity-_ ”

The titan's head turned and Moses choked on his own spit.

Piercing dark eyes twice the size of a human head zeroed in on him. Moses could practically see his own reflection glaring back, time slowing as he contemplated a simple fact. _I'm going to die. Right now. Right here._

A forced slammed into his side and massive fingers curled around his waist, trapping Moses in the titan's iron fist. Fear rushed around his veins, legs violently wriggling but unable to get free. Suddenly, the pounding rain seemed suddenly apparent to him. The wetness of his skin, the dampness of his clothes. The dryness of his mouth contrasted the wet sloshing of the liquid gathering in the titan's palm, and the soreness in his chest finally registered after an entire day spent ignoring it. As the titan brought Moses to its face, Moses could only bear with the horrid stink of its breath emanating from the tiny gap between its teeth. _I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die-_

The titan gazed closer at him, bringing the tiny soldier almost within contact of its nose. Overwhelmed by fear, Moses suddenly lost all composure and began to mutter incoherently. “ _Mummy I'm sorry, mummy I'm sorry, mummy I'm sorry, mummy I'm sorry-_ ”

A sudden shift, and Moses felt his body lurch. The titan's eyes rolled into the back of its skull as it fell forward, grip loosening around Moses's legs. The zipping sound of ODM gear came first, then the feeling of being grabbed and yanked from the monster's grasps. Erwin gathered his shoulders and legs before he swiftly retreated out of the titan's path. Moses managed to recollect himself only briefly, catching a glimpse of the soldier who had downed the abnormal just before he was eaten.

The wings of freedom flitted up into the air as the small hooded man dug his boot into the titan's neck, forcing the creature to fall away from the commander's squad below. The wound was clean and deep, a sure kill as the wind picked up once more and Moses was allowed to see his saviour's face beneath the lifting hood. A man with a dark-hair and eyes that had seen too much already. Levi Smith's terrifying mug was all too recognizable.

The titan went down in an earth-shattering slump. Levi pulled over his hood and shot himself back into the safety of the trees, disappearing as quickly as he came. Keith observed from his spot down on the ground, the corners of his lips deepening. The commander took a moment to reconsider his actions, then decided to conclude. “ _The abnormal titan is down! Our objective has been reached!_ _Gather your horses and return to the stronghold_!”

 

A hand flew to Moses's mouth as the soldier attempted to hold the bile in his mouth. Erwin knelt down by his comrade, perched on a thick tree-branch beyond any titan's reach. From their vantage point, both could easily see the tiny figures of their fellow scouts land and collect the horses. A flash of lightening lit up the forest, three seconds passing before the sound of thunder shook the ground. Erwin turned to Moses and patted his back reassuringly. “Are you okay?” Moses shook his head. “Puke it out, we got a few minutes before the entire regiment is ready to head back.”

“More like a few seconds.”

Moses gave up resisting and vomited as Levi landed a short distance away, hood pulled over his head and anchors slipping into their holsters. Erwin glanced up at his subordinate expectantly, prompting Levi to elaborate.

“That lightening struck a tree just now. I think we'll have more than just titans to worry about soon.” Levi blinked at the sight of Moses, then shriveled at the sight his retching.

Erwin nodded and thanked Levi briefly, turning his attentions back to Moses. The man didn't have a lot to expel, which was good news since that meant he could recover faster. Moses gasped and pulled his sleeve the wipe his mouth, struggling to collect himself after the horrid encounter. He felt his captain rub circles into his back again. Levi simply sheathed his blades and kept surveying the area, keeping a sharp eye out for titans. Erwin leaned down to look at Moses's face. “Are you ready to depart?”

Moses gulped and heaved. “No-no, give me a moment.”

Levi scowled out of eyesight.

A few more seconds passed. As it seemed, Moses was fit to talk but not yet move, Chancing at Levi's attention, he spoke in a raspy voice, “Thank you for saving me.”

The shorter man's expression didn't change. “Yeah.”

“I should probably save it for later but.” Moses grew emotional, slowly dropping his gaze into his hands. “I thought I was going to die. I thought about what it must be like, to be Erhard, or Julius,” Levi passively watched the trees. “Swallowed by a titan.”

Erwin paused his gesture and glanced up at Levi. The scout seemed to avoid Moses's gaze, silent. He then replied bluntly. “At least Erhard or Julius didn't cry out for their mommies.”

The response was met with a stifled laugh by Moses, who wore a grim smile. “You heard that? Sorry, I was just, well, my mother. She's been worried about me lately.”

“When we get back, you can write to her,” Erwin suggested quickly, attempting to lighten the mood while they still had time. Better to boost a soldier's morale than dampen it. They didn't have time to hold a length discussion. Erwin sighted the last few of the horses gather below, their own horses still crowded at the very base of their tree.

Moses nodded. “Okay, that sounds like a good idea.” He flexed his right hand. “Though it might take a while. I think I hurt my wrist.” He swiveled his thumb and winced. “Y-yeah, I definitely hurt my wrist.”

“I'll help you.”

“Hey, Erwin, they're leaving,” Levi snapped. He gestured towards a group of mounted horses. They would disappear into the forest if they didn't hurry up. “We should go too.”

Moses staggered to his feet as Erwin pulled him up, supporting the man's left shoulder. The captain nodded in agreement and checked the forest, scanning the branches. His brows knit together and he turned to Levi. “Where's Bastion?”

The shorter man fell silent, and the pouring of the rain grew louder. A few more rumbles echoed above their heads. The smell of smoke wafted in from behind them. Erwin frowned, sensing a tension between them. He pushed for answer.“Levi, I know you heard me. Where's our fourth squad member?”

Levi shifted his weight onto his back foot and held the ODM handles closer to himself. Erwin and Moses stood in anticipation, but their minds had already begun to wander. Erwin's lips thinned into a straight line as the seconds passed. He already knew the answer. “Levi-”

“I don't know,” The small soldier exhaled slowly and gestured behind them. “But I saw his broken gear somewhere back there.”

Reins rattled as a shout brought their sights down to the forest floor. There, Nanaba, a new recruit, waited on her horse, accompanied by four more of the scout animals. She waved. Moses blinked and sputtered, “Nanaba? Why is she waiting for us?”

“Her squad got wiped out,” Levi answered, “We're less than fifty strong. Can't we just be happy we saved _one_ damn life today? Let's get going already.” He smacked his squad captain lightly on the shoulder. “Erwin!”

“You're right. Enough rest, let's go.” Erwin gently let Moses stand on his own and grabbed his blade handles, hopping off the tree and making for a swift landing. Levi waited until Moses had gone down next before following. The trio hurried onto horseback. Erwin allowed Nanaba to join his squad on their return, immediately ordering everyone to assume full speed in order to catch up with the rest to the regiment. Levi fell behind and rode near the rear, keeping a solid watch on their backs. The rain stung his eyes but couldn't look away, observing Moses and the unmounted horse next to them.

_Just one life. It's small but it's good enough. I can be content with that._

 

* * *

 

Riding a swift gust of wind, the boy observed a pair of Graylag geese catch the air. It was nearing dusk, evident by the gradual hues ranging from bright red to orange, and eventually sloping into the yellows as the sun dipped behind ever-familiar walls. Something felt oddly heavy over his chest at the sight. Long shadows formed behind wooden houses seemed to corner him. Ever so normal. As if that day, a thunderous bolt of lightening would not strike upon the earth, and bring about a scourge that his tiny mind failed to comprehend. Steam. He saw it from afar. Just across the river, a plume of gas rose over the silhouette of the walls. It crackled, hot and searing. Even from this distance he felt its overwhelming power melt his skin and cause his blood to boil. Three shadows turned into four, then formed a hand that one might liken to the palm of an almighty god. That hand. That hand. _That hand._ It reached over the wall and grasped it, the weight of each finger cracking the stone and cement. It was at that moment that the world fell still, and the citizens stopped laughing. On that day...

He heard the shriek first. Gaping jaws, teeth stained red fencing a pool of gurgling black liquid within its mouth. A man hit the floor. The peaceful countryside. Windmills stopped due to the odd lack of wind. No, there were people among them. Big people. Large naked people. Someone's twisted and snarled face. Staining crimson. Rain. A sharp piercing noise blew his ears, accompanied by the images of a crackling fireplace dangerously close to a foreign uniform. Dolls. A windowsill. Bodies. There were many bodies. He knew them. The tall man with half a torso. Dead eyes. A wide grin. A line of soldiers and titans. That man. Their faces. Somebody is being lifted from the rubble-

Eren forced himself to breathe.

Distantly, the boy made out the sound of a murder of crows retreating for the skies. Their cries grew distant compared to the gentle rustling of trees. He felt the grass first, then the chill on his cheeks. Only after Eren recognized Mikasa's hunched over form did he notice the morning bird's chirping away, and the cool shadows. The boy blinked, then licked his dry lips in attempt to come to terms with this sudden reality. Though a feeling lay low in his gut, Eren found himself ignoring it. More interested in the blue sky and Mikasa's face, faintly stiff with concern. For a moment, Eren tried to recall the images from before, only to swim through a muddled fuzz. Right now, the green rolling hills and the dark-haired girl knelt by his side appeared much clearer to him.

“Mikasa,” Eren paused. That name came so naturally to him. “Hey.”

The girl's expression didn't change. For a brief second, Eren thought he saw something pass her gaze. Instead, she placed one hand on the knees of her skirt, and another on her white sunhat nearby. “We should get going.” Mikasa's voice was blunt.

On the note of her knees, Eren's own legs felt fine. Curiosity prompted him to drag his left leg upwards, then sit up suddenly as if he hadn't been able to in years. Eren surveyed the hillside, and the beautiful grove of small trees in the distance. The boy felt fuzzy. Something was off. Eren brought a hand up to cradle his forehead and winced a little bit when he noticed a healing bruise at the top of his skull. He glanced at Mikasa from the corner of his eye. “Um,” Where should he even begin? “Where are we exactly?”

The corners of Mikasa's lips dipped further, then began to reply-

“Did you sleep so deeply that you forgot where you were?”

Both children turned to the end of the hill. Just further down the curve of the land, a blond-haired boy closed a large book in his lap, dressed in modest civilian clothes. Armin peered over his shoulder, wide blue eyes gleaming just slightly in an odd but distantly familiar way. Armin pinched the book between his knees and leaned back, supporting himself on his elbows. “You slept really well just now. Did you get any rest last night?”

_Wait, that's not right._

Mikasa glanced at Eren, who kept rubbing his forehead and blinking. _This isn't-_ He winced again at the mild sting. “I-” He hissed as another shock of pain came to him. “I think so. I didn't stay up at all. I don't know.” Eren's voice came out in a tired whisper. “The dream I was having went on forever.”

In response to his statement, he was met with an irritated sigh and a chuckle. Armin smiled as Mikasa stood up, the girl moving down the hill to fetch her gather of kindling. Armin gripped his text under his armpit and clambered up towards Eren.

“I guess you're still worn out from that fight you got into a few a days ago huh? Did you dream about it or something?”

Eren paused. He heard Armin pat down his knit jacket and plop down next to him. Armin looked into his face and wore a smile. Eren would have thought the blond was trying to read him. Instead, he was more interested in what his friend just mentioned. “A fight?”

Armin's expression wavered, and his smile fell. “Eren, why are you crying?”

Mikasa straightened her back and bounced the pile of kindling on her back, adjusting the straps to accommodate her small shoulders. Gazing up over the hill, she noticed her brother wipe his cheek and stare at his hand as if he'd never seen it before. Armin stiffened awkwardly and inched away, standing up with his textbook pressed to his chest.

 _Why am I...?_ Eren curled his fingers in and felt the wetness of his palm. Gingerly, he brought it back up to his face and noticed a few more beads gathering at the corner of his eyes. Mikasa rushed over and fell to her knees by his side, ignoring the clatter of sticks and twigs scatter across the ground.

“Mikasa! You dropped your tinder!”

While Armin knelt down to collect the mess, Mikasa stared hard at her brother. “Does your bruise hurt that badly? Should I get your father-”

“Y-yeah, I'm fine.” Eren furrowed a brow and ghosted a finger over his bruise once more. “Don't worry about it!” He edged away from her. The irritated act was meant to conceal his embarrassment, but his shame coloured his cheeks easily. Mikasa sat still for a moment, then relaxed and shook her head.

Armin laughed.

 

“Did you grab some of my kindling?”

Eren glared enviously at Armin's pile, tucked under his armpit rather than fixed to a proper frame on his back. It wasn't a very decent gather, though it was certainly comparable to his own. Armin just made a stiff-looking smile.

“No I didn't, I helped you guys remember?”

Green eyes lidded. Eren expressed his disbelief with a scoff as the three children moved along the main path towards the wall. Many merchants and travelers often took this path. It was a well-known road so it was relatively safe. The MP's managed to ward off thieves and dangerous elements often enough. With the increasing number of children and families passing through, the security only went up. Armin tried to keep his eyes on a passing carriage. A pair of thorough-bred horses trotted passed them at a leisurely pace. Snorting as they neared.

“No way, you don't even _need_ wooden fuel at your house. Doesn't your family have some high-tech steam device instead of a fireplace?” Eren didn't like to admit that he sometimes envied Armin's parents. The Arlerts were a family of engineers. Armin moved to Shiganshina from one of those special industrial cities in Wall Rose, and his parents brought their high-end technology with them. As cool as Armin's gadgets were, Eren often found himself wallowing in a jealousy.

“It's called a water-heater Eren,” Armin corrected him exasperatedly. “And I mean,” He scratched his cheek as he mulled over the device. “It's not all that convenient. It makes loud hissing noises. It scares me at night sometimes.”

“Then why are you carrying tinder?”

“Well,” Armin began. “My parents aren't home so I thought I help out your family for once.”

“...Are you sure you didn't steal any of my tinder?”

Mikasa poked her head into view. “The only reason your gather is small is because you slacked off since mum and dad aren't coming with us this time.”

“No I didn't!”

“Do you normally cry when you nap too?” Armin teased.

“Shut up! I wasn't crying!” Eren patted his face to check for any stray tears, paranoid that his friend was making a hint that he had started to leak while they were conversing. To his relief, his hands felt dry. Eren exchanged strong looks with both children. “Don't tell anyone what happened back there! Promise me!”

Armin held up a hand in defense while Mikasa just shrugged her shoulders. “Don't worry, we won't tell anyone, promise!” He dropped his arms and readjusted the gather in his shoulder. Carrying wood was harder than it looked, heavier than it looked, but Armin was determined not to let it show. He wiped a bead of sweat off his neck with the collar of his dress shirt. “So um, what was your dream about?”

“My dream?” Eren blinked.

“Yeah, weren't you saying you had a 'dream that went on forever' or something?”

Eren's gaze drifted from the exchange point in the wall to the top of the barrier. He hummed loudly for a moment, tracing back his steps to recall exactly what that dream had been around. He blanked. “I forget what it was about.”

Armin's expression fell in disappointment. “Oh, that's okay.”

Overall, the trip had been uneventful. As was much of their little errands. While they were too young to join the cadets at the tender age of ten, the three still pursued adventure with what little space there was within the walls. The forests and small pockets of valley were all they had. At this point, Eren had seemingly explored every forest within several kilometers of Shiganshina. Every valley pretty much looked the same. At the moment, the three were interested in exploring abandoned mills and barns. Mikasa never protested their escapades. Armin and Eren just wanted to find as many books as possible about the outside world. If they got lucky, sometimes they discovered a few scriptures here and there. And Armin would stash them on his grandfather's shelves.

There was a slight setback when they reached the check point. Eren had exploded in anger at a Garrison soldier they knew. Poor Hannes didn't know what was coming. Something about titans breaching the walls and the false peace within the population. Armin tried to stop Eren from going too far but they all knew Hannes wouldn't make a fuss. The lazy drinker had known the Yeager family's parents for only he knows how long. Eren's little outbursts weren't a rarity. Though Armin and Mikasa did think that dream must have affected him somehow.

A few underpasses and steep roads more before they reached a ledge with no fencing that separated the escalated housing from the lower city. No one had bothered to install any, but the children knew better than to to stray too close to the end. Regardless, the spot had a good view of the entire district. It was a known lover's spot, not that they spotted any lovers idling today.

The tolling of the bell reached their ears.

Of course Eren wanted to see them.

The Scouts.

 

Levi didn't see the gates open. He only got clued in on their return when the horses around him began to move, and so Levi followed as a good soldier would. Muscles kept tense and fingers trembled just little enough that they wouldn't be noticed. The soldier kept his chin held high but the look in his eyes stared into empty space. Dark circles shadowed over his expression. Only Keith Shadis's words repeated themselves over and over in his head.

_You shouldn't come with us._

_I shouldn't have gone with them- no._ Levi squeezed the reins on his horse and the animal staggered momentarily. His chin slowly dropped and he tried to funnel the tenseness in his body to force himself to _look_. He had to _look._ It didn't matter if his eyes weren't closed, he just needed to see. Slowly, Levi blinked once, then twice. The streets populated themselves and Levi regarded the crowds. He spied their faces, then counted again the number of soldiers who rode next to him. The few around him could be counted on one hand. Some movement in the crowd caught his attention. A pair, no three, three small children struggled to find a place at the back of the crowd against the shadow of a house. Levi spotted them instantly, and the excited look of green eyes and hopeful expressions felt like a slap in the face. Levi tore his gaze.

_The response was met with a stifled laugh by Moses, who wore a grim smile. “You heard that? Sorry, I was just, well, my mother. She's been worried about me lately.”_

_“When we get back, you can write to her,” Erwin suggested, attempting to lighten the mood while they still had time. Better to boost a soldier's morale than dampen it. It gives them a purpose. Erwin sighted the last few of the horses gather below, their own horses still crowded at the base of their tree._

_Moses nodded. “Okay, that sounds like a good idea.”_

“Moses!?”

Levi yanked at his reigns weakly in reaction. He didn't think about it, only that the very name itself made him want to just stop completely. Luckily, Levi wasn't left behind. The pace set at the front halted when the commander stopped his horse as well. The soldier's spine stiffened as he sighted a familiar woman make haste towards the front of the regiment where Keith Shadis stood. Though it was too quiet from here, Levi could tell they were exchanging words. Or maybe, maybe he could hear what they were saying, but refused to decipher them. Common words. The usual song and dance. Only this time, Levi could practically _feel_ the crimson coat his hands. _The commander will comfort her._ Levi saw the commander ask for an aid to retrieve an item from the carts and give it to the woman. He knew who she was. They all knew who she was.

A lonely sob echoed over the street. The aging woman collapsed to her knees and Levi dropped the reigns to look at his own hand for a moment. It trembled, just slightly. The skin was red, still red and sore from when Levi tried to hold him. Tried to catch him. Tried to stop him from falling from such a horrible height.

But they knew so little about the titans. About their physiology, their behaviour, their reproductive cycles. Their behaviour was one of the hardest parts to decipher, since there was such a variety. Mostly found in the abnormal population. Levi had heard it was the discovery that titans could learn to climb that resulted in the destruction of their previous base outside of human territory. Today, they learned titans could jump, and they could reach horrifying heights. As of today, Hange had made the first ever record of a titan jumping any significant height. Twenty-meters. Just high enough to reach a soldier dangling by the wires of his gear in the canopy.

Levi stared at his hand for a few more seconds, then suddenly heard a thud and Keith Shadis's frustrated cries. His gaze snapped upwards and zipped around the front, panicking that the commander had disappeared until he found his shriveled form on the ground, knelt eye to eye with that woman. Humanity. Humanity. Humanity. The walls. The scouts. All of it. Lives. Progress. Everything. Levi couldn't feel his body anymore. The death throes. The death throes. What was that idiot doing? Keith Shadis. The stupid commander. _That coward-_

A hand clasped over his own. Levi snapped out of his trance and his eyes met with large blues ones. Erwin stood next to his horse, one hand gripping the reigns of his brown steed while the other squeezed Levi's fingers gently. A thumb brushed over his silver wedding band. A reminder? Of what? Probably little more than a comforting gesture. Levi was less comforted by Erwin's display of subtle affection rather than slightly appalled that the high-strung captain of the Corps would abandon his post by the commander just to meet with him. Levi felt the question rise in his throat-

“Levi.” Erwin's large blue eyes were impossible to look away from. His hair was lightly tousled but still combed as straight as when they set out. Erwin watched the smaller soldier.

“What are you doing?” Levi whispered harshly. He glanced at his hand, having half a mind to yank it away from Erwin. “You're breaking the formation.”

“What formation?”

Levi blinked. Erwin turned his head slightly, then nodded towards the rest of the street. Some soldiers kept walking, barely keeping pace with each other. Several of their comrades crowded at the front behind Keith Shadis. The ones who could stand looked like dead men propped up on stilts. There were eight, ten at most. Levi felt his breath hitch. Erwin just watched the group.

“There are only sixteen of us. There's barely a formation to keep.” Erwin muttered lowly, just enough that only the pair could hear themselves. There was some point to it. Erwin would risk setting off some gruff bystanders if they heard him utter their actual numbers.

Levi watched the group quietly, regarding the soured and broken look on their commander's face. Keith had never been a particularly impressive man, but Levi had to hand it to him. The 12th commander was much older than they were, and he'd bottled up every single one of these emotions until today, to lay them out in their naked shame. Levi wasn't sure if he could do the same.

“Do you want to deliver the notifier to her?”

“No.” Levi settled his eyes on the woman. Erwin glanced up at the smaller soldier, prompting Levi to continue. “I wouldn't be able to make her idiot son look like a shining example of a fallen hero without getting slapped.”

“You could take a slap _for_ Moses.”

“Sorry, but I'm not that brave,” Levi kicked the stirrups and started his horse on a slow trot forward, parting himself from Erwin. Erwin didn't bother to follow, watching as Levi managed his way further up the street.

A thunk and a shriek of pain.

“-Dammit! I'll get you kid-!”

Levi drew his attention to the crowd and spied a small skirmish. An angered townsman whipped around, ready to swing at the offender behind him. A small boy with brown hair landed on the ground hard, knocking over boxes while a dark-haired girl dragged him off while a blond boy apologized profusely. Levi steadied for a moment, watching the exchange from the high vantage point atop his horse. Luckily the townsman hadn't pursued those children. If he had, Levi wasn't sure if he could bottle up the stress for any longer.

Erwin passed him at that moment. Joining the group at the front as they started to fragment and drift towards Wall Maria. Levi took a last look towards where those children stood before he turned to follow. He could mourn once they were dismissed.

His horse moved slowly. Glares easily followed his back, no doubt shredding the wings of freedom his cape, now tarnished and stained. Levi glanced at Moses's mourning mother as he passed her. A grey-haired woman with locks tied back. Tears streaked down her face as she knelt by the side of the road, cradling the dismembered hand to her chest. The crowd around her backed off, giving the elderly woman a wide girth. For a moment, Levi felt something wretched in the pit of his stomach. What soldiers remained passed her without so much as a word. Just another casualty.

Levi swallowed.

Perhaps he could spare her an apology.

Between the passing soldiers, the small soldier glimpsed her face. Fierce piercing eyes, nose crinkled and mouth twisted in a vengeful growl as tears spilled over, dampening the wet clothed limb in her grip.

No.

Apologizing would mean nothing.

Erwin viewed the exchange from over his shoulder, noting the weakened look painted on the smaller man's face. He sucked in a breath, and turned back towards the front of the regiment, noting that the commander had fallen to his side rather than leading the corps at the front. Erwin blinked. If the commander was tired, surely he should be mounting his horse. Though, Erwin wasn't good at reading his commanding officer's mind. Shadis's weathered gaze was shifty. Springing from the houses to the floor and occasionally at Erwin himself. Each time the man looked at Erwin, Erwin could see his lips loosen, as if the man had meant to say something to him. Each attempt seemed dashed by a second thought. Erwin didn't push the old man to speak. Keith Shadis has seen more than his fair share of blame and pressure.

“Captain,” a deep voice called for his attention. Erwin responded by meeting Mike's gaze. Mike held a salute, Hange standing next to him with Nanaba not too far behind. Their expressions held the characteristic post-expedition look, but something in them said that they hadn't given up quite yet. Erwin kept walking.

“What is it?”

“We've received word from the men staying on base. Apparently, news of the expedition's results have reached the brass,” Mike's tone was almost shameful.

Erwin scanned the faces of his comrades. He realized he didn't need to ask for an elaboration. Erwin sighed. “They're not happy with us?” He spied Keith's expression sour.

“If the brass wasn't happy with us, that'd hardly be news,” Nanaba replied. “Instead, they've have requested an audience with our highest ranked officers. They want to see you as soon as possible at the Scout Regiment's HQ.”

“Is it General Zackley?”

All four soldiers turn their attentions to the weathered commander. Keith's voice was rough and quiet, head held low. The commander didn't bother to meet their gazes, instead focusing at his feet. If at one point in time, the commander was inflated with ego and confidence, he was certainly nothing but a dead husk now. Nanaba faced him fully and made a slow nod. Keith's shoulders fell. A sign of acceptance? Erwin wasn't sure what to make of the man at the moment.

Levi neared the group on horseback.

“I see.” Shadis breathed through his nose, considering the words that were about to come out of his mouth. “They've called on me to explain the failures made during this expedition. Most likely, I'll be asked about why we lost precious building materials in the titan forest and,” Keith paused to gauge the expressions of his fellow soldiers, “why we lost more than a hundred men today.”

A grieving silence fell over them. Partly as not to interrupt their commander, but also in part to mourn.

Keith mustered the strength to continue. “Until now, they've been forgiving, but I doubt I can defend us much longer.” The crows feet in the man's eyes deepened and he swallowed, words becoming broken. “After all, what have we really achieved here? How can I say that what we've done has really changed anything?”

“What have we really done for humanity?”

Levi's eyes widened and his hands shook. His horse snorted and kicked at the ground beneath him, leaving the lonely sounds of a crying woman on the streets.

 

* * *

 

 

“They fight for us, don't they?” Armin blinked. “Isn't that good enough?”

The three kids scaled the sloping hill for the second time that day. After getting kicked around by a couple of angry adults, Armin counted themselves lucky that they had Mikasa around. If it wasn't for her, the blond child didn't even want to imagine what would've happened to them.

“Apparently not for _them_ it isn't.” Eren scoffed, eyes following a rock the trio had been kicking around. He ignored the intrusive stares from Mikasa. The girl was trying to “stealthily” search him for bruises again. Eren glared at the sky. “It's always 'taxes' this and 'taxes that' with those guys. So what about taxes? It's not like anybody will be worrying about those when we all get eaten!”

“Eren, I'm sure 'taxes' are more than just a buzzword,” Armin chuckled nervously. He stopped when Eren sent him a judgmental look. Armin flinched and forced a nervous smile. “I mean, I get it. People pay the scouts with their taxes, but we saw what usually happens to them. They're not making any progress-”

“And so what!?” Eren whirled around and blocked the path, earning surprised looks from the other two. “It's not like the Garrison or the Military Police are making any huge discoveries are they? If the adults don't wanna pay the Scouts, then they shouldn't want to pay the Garrison or MP's either-”

A hand flew to Eren's mouth and his speech was reduced to a muffled garble. Mikasa held Eren's lips closed and whispered calmly, “Eren, let's try not to talk about the MP's like that. It might be dangerous.”

The boy growled in his throat and fought out of Mikasa's grip, looking at them both. Watery beads formed at the corners of Eren's eyes but he fought those back too. For a moment, Armin thought his best friend might say something. Instead, Eren chose to just make a frustrated yell. Shortly after, Armin watched as Eren made a dash for his house just up the road, Mikasa chasing after to stop him. The blond boy stared. He gripped the tinder and textbook bundled in his arms and allowed a a hint of a smile.

 

A sweet voice groomed him. “Why thank you Armin!” Mrs Jeager lead the young blond into the main room. She pried open a small storage crate and let Armin deposit twigs and branches into the pile, earning himself a congratulatory pat on the head. Carla Jeager always did look a lot like Eren, Armin thought to himself often. The woman had the same eyes as his best friend. Large and green. Armin brushed her off politely, claiming that he only wanted to help.

“And what a help you are! I should bring by some baked cookies for the Arlert family sometime.”

Armin watched as Carla moved to help Mikasa with the water pump. Eren's father sat at the table, reading the newspaper while the family went about their usual chores around the house. It was an oddly domestic atmosphere. The kind that seemed all too foreign to the blond boy.

“Oatmeal is all we have right now but that should be okay. What do you think Armin? Does your mother like oatmeal cookies?”

“It's okay, don't bother.” Armin held up a hand. “My parents are on a work trip right now, I don't need it.”

Eren blinked as he emptied his tinder into the crate by the door. “You're parents have been on that work trip for a long time haven't they?” He pondered out loud. “Do you know when they're coming back?”

“No,” The boy's voice became meek. “Not really.”

A brow furrowed Eren's face. “Not even a letter?” He turned to his mother for an explanation, only to watch her face contort with concern.

“Oh dear, how long have they been gone?” Carla and her husband exchanged worried glances. Mikasa dried her hands and hopped off the stool, also sending the blond a questioning glance. Miss Yeager fixed her dress and knelt down to reach Armin's height. “Is everything okay?”

“They've only been gone for three weeks, I'm fine, I promise.”

“Three weeks!? Are you alone in the house? You know you can stay with us tonight, I'll make a big dinner.”

Something unreadable passed Armin's gaze and he squeezed the spine of his book. The child refused to look at the woman and insisted. “It's fine, my grandpa's taking care of me.”

Carla stared at Armin for a moment, then took a deep breath. “That's a relief.” She looked up towards the boy one more time. “But just so you know, if you ever need anything, you can just ask us, alright?”

The woman's voice held firm, and Armin felt the need to say that he understood before Eren's mother stood up and went to grab the dirty rags off of the table. Armin turned and called out. “Eren!”

Eren blinked as he stood by the window. He glimpsed Armin wave from the steps at the entrance, a bright look on the blond boy's face.

“Let's play by the river! I'll be waiting for you there!”

For a moment, Mikasa spoke to Eren in a hushed tone and the brunette have to wave back at his friend outside. “Okay, I'll be out soon!”

Armin nodded with excitement and jogged down the road. The river was barely all that far off. A large sparkling canal visible anywhere from any vantage point in the town. Armin's smile fell and soon his jog slowed to a walk. There was some chatter as the child made his way down the cramped road. Children laughing. Mothers gossiping and some soldiers making exchanging shifts at the top of the watch tower. Their voices drawled and almost drunken. Shoulders slacked as if they were merely relaxing on a patio.

 

 

 

_They fight for us don't they? Isn't that good enough?_

_Is it good enough?_

For how small the Shiganshina district was, it barely took an hour to reach the river. The water's edge was unusually quiet that day. Only a few kids running around on the other side, some merchants here and there. Armin wallowed in those quiet noises. The common noises. The everyday ones. He set his textbook down on the floor and folded down to sit. A reflection in the water stared back at him, and Armin pondered the piercing fire in Eren's eyes. The concerned face of Mikasa and Miss Jeager. The angry taxpayers. Armin's gaze moved up towards the walls in the distance. Their height was immeasurable to a ten year old like himself.

Little stars danced across the water's surface, gleaming and crystalline.

For a century, humanity had been contained by these walls.

 


End file.
